The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) is working closely with employer groups in a bid to create new standards for apprenticeships in the industry that include both degree apprenticeships at Bachelor’s and Master’s level, as well as supervisor and manager levels.
In theory, the industry body claims new apprenticeship standards will provide companies with the opportunity to employ apprentices at all levels, from senior management to strategic and operations. With the facilities management (FM) supervisor standard already approved, the development of a degree apprenticeship at Level 6 for senior FMs has also received approval, and the draft standard is due to be issued for consultation later this year.
The employment groups working on these standards submitted ‘Expressions of Interest’ to the Department for Education (DfE) which supports the development of standards for Facilities Manager (Level 4) and Director of Estates (Masters). The BIFM states that levels have been selected by ‘the industry’ to coincide with the ‘different occupational competencies’ required by FM professionals at various career stages.
The consultation is open for one more day (closes September 9, 2016) and the BIFM is encouraging all industry professionals complete the consultation for the proposed Facilities Manager and Director of Estates standards.
